Vending-machine.



J'. H. MANN, In.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, 191s Patented Feb., 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET! I Summon J. H- M N'NJK.

J. H. MANN, JR. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. 191a.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J-H-MHNN JR.

J. H. MANN, JR. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. I9l6.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

J H' MHNN.JR.

To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES HEBVEY MANN, JR.,

0F PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS VENDING-MACHINE.

Be it known that 1, JAMES MANN J r.,

citizen of the United States, residing at ine Bluff, in the county ofJefferson and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved vending machine and has for itsprimary object to provide a very simple and positively operating -coincontrolled. mechanism for vending chewing gum and similar confections. I1 1 It is one of the more particular objects of the invention to provideimproved means for insuring a complete operating movement of theactuator when the coin is inserted in the machine, and the dischargeofya single package of gum. v

' It is another object or my invention to provide simple and effectivemeans forpositively locking the actuator bar against operative movementunless a coin of the proper denomination has first been deposited.

It is also, an object of the invention to provide novel and simplyconstructed delivery means for the gum which is not liable to get out oforder and will positively discharge a single. package of gum in eachoperating movement of the actuator bar. I

And it is a general object of my invention to devise improved mechanismfor vending machines of the typeabove referred to, the several elementsofwhich are very compactly arranged, the machine as a whole beingcapable of manufacture at relatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view,

my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a-front elevation of my improved vending machine with therear wall of the magazine and the lower front wall of the case removedFig. 2 is a detail elevation of the actuating mechanism for the deliverytray, showing the normal position of the parts;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed August 26, 1916. Serial No. 117,083.

Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the position of the tray with respecttothe locking bar, and the actuator at the end of its operating stroke;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective view of the delivery tray;

b Fig. 7 is a. similar view of the actuator Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof the locking bar; and r Fig. 9 is a'detail horizontal section taken onthe line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

' Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 de signates the bodyof thecaseor housing for the operating mechanism and the side walls of thiscasing have-inwardly projecting, longitudinal flanges 6 formed-upontheir upper portions. Reinforcing plates 7 are riveted or otherwisefixed to the inner faces of these side Walls and are co-extensive inlength therewith. A vertically extending plate 8 constituting the rearwall of a magazine, is disposed between the side walls of the case andin spaced relation to the rear wall thereof. Between the forward edgesof the reinforcing plates 7 and the flanges 6 on the side walls, theglass panel, indicated at 9, is disposed.

The ends of a horizontally disposed rod or shaft 10 are mounted in theopposite side walls of the case 5 below the magazine. 11 designates thedelivery tray normally disposed in a horizontal position and havingspaced lugs 12 formed on its under side, said lugs being provided withopenings to loosely receive the rod or shaft 10. The tray 11 isprovidedupon its rear edge with an up standing flange 13 normallyengaged against a horizontal bar 1 1 fixedv to the rear wall of the case5. The rear face of this bar is recessed longitudinally, as at 15, for apurpose which will presently appear. A coil spring 16 surrounds one endof the rod 10 and has one of its ends fixed to the body of the case 5and its other end exertingan upward pressure against the under side ofthe delivery tray 11. A gear segment 17' v isfixed to the under side ofsaidtray: at.

" 3O fixed in the rear wall of the case 5.

its opposite end. A front plate 18 is suitably secured to the side wallsof the case below the glass panel plate 9 and hides the delivery tray. Asuitable trough or receptacle 19 to receive the gum is secured betweenthe side walls of the case below the delivery tray and has a rearvertical wall 20 disposed in spaced relation to the rear wall of thecase body. A transversely disposed, vertical plate 20 is located in thisspace and suitably secured to the rear wall of the case.

Between the rear wall of the case body and the vertical plate 8,downwardly converging, curved metal strips 21 are secured to the casewall and constitute'coin guides.

Between the bar 14 and the rear wall of the case, a. vertically disposedactuator bar 22 is disposed, said bar operating in a groove or channelprovided in one end of the bar and between the rear wall of the case andthe vertical plate 8. This bar extends downwardly through a bottom plate23 and is provided upon its front face and adjacent its lower end with aseries of rack teeth 24. The inner longitudinal edge of said bar isinwardly inclined or recessed to provide a shoulder indicated at 25, ata point below the rack teeth 24. The edge of the bar 22 is also rovidedbelow the shoulder 25 with an inchned or beveled face 25. The bar 22 isalso provided with a longitudinal recess 26 in its inner edge adjacentto its upper end, and a pin 27 fixed in the rear wall of the. caseprojects into said recess and limits the longitudinal movement of saidbar. The rack teeth 24 on the bar are adapted to cooperate with theteeth of the gear segment 17 on the end of the delivery tray.

A locking bar 28 extends vertically through the recess 15 in thehorizontal bar 14, the upper end of said bar being laterally curvedtoward the actuator bar 22. The locking bar 28 is providd intermediateof its ends with a laterally disposed portion 29 located below the bar14 which is pivotally mounted at one end upon the stud' or screw Thelower end of the locking bar 28 extends downwardly from the pivot 30 andis yieldingly held in engagement against the inner edge of the actuatorbar 22 by means of a coil spring 31 which is connected to the up percurved end of the locking bar 28 at one of its ends. The other end ofthis spring is attached to a stud on an arm 32 which is pivoted at oneof its ends, as at 33, upon the rear wall of the case. The other or freeend of this arm is engaged in a recess 34 provided in the rear face ofthe actuator bar '22.

. The top of the case is closed by a hingedly mounted plate 35, saidplate being securely fastened by means'of a suitable lock. The

bottom plate 23carries a coin cup or receptacle 36 and said bottom plateis also suitably locked to the case body.

Each of the side walls of the case 5 is provided at its upper end with acoin receiving slot, and a coin of the proper denomination, wheninserted through one of these slots, is directed downwardly by the guidestrips 21 between the rear wall of the case and the magazine wall 8, andinto the recess of the bar 14. Normally, when an attempt is made tooperate the machine by forcing the actuator bar 22 upwardly, the arm 32will be moved and the spring 31 will exert a pull upon the upper end ofthe locking bar 28 and hold the lower end thereof in engagement againstthe edge of the actuator bar so that said locking bar, by contact withthe shoulder 25, will prevent an operative movement of the actuator bar.When, however, the coin is deposited, it comes to a position of restbetweenthe locking bar 28 and the end wall of the recess 15 in the bar14. Thus, when the actuator bar is forced upwardly, the locking" bar isheld against movement, as the spring 31 is expanded so that the shoulder25 will pass above the lower end of the locking bar. The beveled orinclined face 25 of the actuator bar bearing against the lower end ofthe locking bar 28, rocks the same upon its pivot 30, whereby the coinis released and falls into the coin cup 36, as will be clearly seen fromreference to Fig. 2 of the drawing. The teeth on said locking barengaging the teeth of the segmental gear 17, causes a rotation of thedelivery tray 11 and the flange 13 thereof will throw the lower packageof gum in the magazine forwardly so that it will drop downwardly intothe receiving trough 19, from which it may be readily removed.- Thebearing lugs 12 prevent downward movement of the gum behind the tray.

It is desirable to provide means for preventing a return movement of theactuator bar to its normal position before the operating stroke of thebar is completed. To .this end, I provide a series of teeth or notches37 in the inner edge of said bar at its upper end and a relatively wideand deep notch or recess 38 at the lower end of said series of notches.A wedging dog 40 is pivoted, as

at 41, upon the rear wall of the case 5, and a coil spring 42'isattached to one end of said dog and has its other end fixed to the casewall, as at 43, in line with the pivot 41. The other end of the dog 40is attenuated or reduced for engagement between the teeth 37 v endupwardly and places the spi'ing 42 under tension, said dog snapping intoengagement with the several teeth 37 as the bar is forced upwardly. Itwill thus be apparent from reference to Fig. 3, that if the actuator bar22-is released before completion of its operating movement, the wedgingdog 40 will hold the bar in such position and prevent its return ordownward movement. At the end of the upward or operative stroke of saidbar, the end of the wedging dog moves into the wide notch or recess 38so that the spring 42 will then contract and return the dog to itsnormal position so that the teeth 37 may freely pass the end of the dogin the downward movement of said bar. Such downward or return movementof the actuator bar occurs immediately upon the release thereof bythe'contractile action ofthe coil spring 31 exerting a downward pullupon the pivoted arm 32. The delivery tray is returned to its normalposition immediately after the delivery of the gum and simultaneouslywith the return movement of the actuator bar by means of the coil spring16.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation, andseveral advantages of my improved vending machine will be clearly andfully understood. By means of a relatively simple mechanism,'the properdelivery of the gum or other confection in each operation of the machineis assured. The gum magazinemay, of course, be made of any des1red.ca-

pacity and, as the several operating elements are very compactlyassembled, it will be appreciated that the entire machine may be mountedand arranged in a very small space. The mechanism is reliable andpositive in its action and not liable to get out of order.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction andarrangement of the several parts of the machine, it is, of course, to beunderstood that the same are susceptible of considerablemodificationtherein andI, therefore, reserve the privilege ofadoptinglfall-such legitimate changes as may be fairly, embodied withinthe spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a coin controlled vending machine,

' a rectilinearly movable actuator bar, a pivoted arm actuated by saidbar, and an operating connection between said arm and the lockingelement to move the latter to its effective position and lock theactuator bar against an operative movement, said element being heldagainst such movement by a deposited coin, the connection between i saidelement and the arm permitting of a continued operating movement of theactuator bar. a

2. In a coin controlled'vending machine, a rectilinearly movableactuator bar, a movable locking element, and means connected to saidelement and at all times operatively engaged with the actuator bar,whereby the 'elementis moved to its effective locking position toprevent the operative movement of i effective position-and hold theactuator bar against an operating movement, said locking bar beingengaged and held against movement to its locking position by a depositedcoin.

4. In a com controlled vending machine, a

movable actuator bar, a locking bar-pivoted intermediate of its ends,means operativelyconnect'ing one end of the locking 'bar to the actuatorbar, whereby the locking bar is actuated in the initial movement of theactutiter bar to engage the actuator bar and hold the latter againstfurther movement, said locking bar being adaptedv for engagementby adeposited coin on one side of its pivot and held thereby in'its normalposition to permit of .a complete operative movement of the actuatorbar, said bar co-acting with the locking bar on the relatively oppositeside of its pivot to movethe locking bar and release the coin.

5. In a coin controlled vending machine, amovable actuatorbar, a pivotedlocking bar, yieldable means operatively connecting the locking bar tothe actuator 'bar,

whereby the locking bar is moved in the initial movement of the actuatorbar into locking engagement with the latter bar to hold the same againsta complete operating movement, said locking bar being engaged by adeposited coin and held against movement from its normal position topermit of a complete operative movement of the actuator bar, and meansfor moving the locking bar to release the coin.

6. In a coin controlled vending machine, v

a movable actuator bar, a pivoted locking bar, said bar at one of itsends being adapted to co-act with the actuator bar arid lock the sameagainst operative movement, meansconnected to one end of the locking barand operated by the actuator bar to.

move the locking bar to its effective position and prevent a completeoperating movement of the actuator bar, said locking bar being adaptedfor engagement by a deposited coin and held thereby against pivotalmovement to its locking position to permit of the complete operatingmovement of the actuator bar, said actuator bar having means to co-actwith the locking bar and move the same in a relatively opposite di- 5rection to release the coin. I

7. In a coin controlled vending machine, ca movable actuator bar, alocking bar pivoted intermediate of its ends and having one of its endportions laterally offset from the 19 pivot, a yieldable connectionbetween said offset end of the locking bar and the actuator baroperating to move the other end of the locking bar into 8H8CtlX'6engagement with the actuator bar and prevent a com- 5 plete Operatingmovement of the latter, said offset end of the locking bar being adaptedfor engagement by a deposited coin and held Y thereby against pivotalmovement in one direction to permit of a complete movement 20 of theactuator bar, said actuator bar having means to co-act with the otherend of the locking bar in the operating movement of the actuator bar tomove the locking bar and release the coin.

8. In a coin controlled vending machine, a rectilinearly movableactuator bar, a pivoted locking bar, means operatively connected to thelocking bar and operated by said actuator bar upon an attemptedoperating movement thereof to move the locking bar to its effectiveposition and hold the actuator bar against operative movement, saidlocking bar being engaged and held against movement to its lockingposition by a deposited coin, and means co-acting with the locking barin the operating movement of the actuator bar to move the locking barand release the coin.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presenceof tWowitnesses.

JAMES HERVEY MANN, JR.

Witnesses:

P. F. CRUTOHER, A. Z. UB1.

